USA Pentathlon Places Three of Six Finalists in Top Ten of World Cup #3 Finals in Millfield, England

For Immediate Release
March 30, 2008 USA Pentathlon Places Three of Six Finalists in Top Ten of World Cup #3 Finals in Millfield, England COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-The USA Pentathlon Team continued its consistent climb to the upper echelon of the modern pentathlon world this weekend as it saw six athletes advance through the semifinal round to the final round of World Cup #3 in Millfield, England with three of those six placing in the top ten. Overall it was one of the most impressive performances in recent memory for a USA Pentathlon Team at a European World Cup event which generally draws the sport's top talent. Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) and Sam Sacksen (Somerset, Pa./Colorado Springs, Colo.) led the way for the United States, each finishing ninth in the final round of the women's and men's divisions, respectively. Eli Bremer (Monument, Colo./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) followed closely behind Sacksen, placing tenth in the men's division. Michelle "Mickey"Kelly (Chatham, N.Y./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) finished in 21st place and Margaux Isaksen (Fayetteville, Ark./Colorado Springs, Colo.) came in 29th. Niul Manske (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) rounded out the finals for Team USA, finishing 33rd for the men. Dennis Bowsher (Dallas, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) was the only American who failed to qualify for the final of World Cup #3. Please see below for the U.S. results from the final round of World Cup #3 in Millfield, England: 2008 World Cup #3-Millfield, England Individual event scores for Team USA are listed below: Women's Final Sheila Taormina-Ninth Place-5,328 points
Shoot-168 (952 points)
Fence-15V and 20D (760 points)
Swim-2:09.37 (1,368 points)
Ride-1,200 points
Run-11:08.63 (1,048 points) Mickey Kelly-21st Place-5,048 points
Shoot-172 (1,000 points)
Fence-9V and 26D (616 points)
Swim-2:24.68 (1,184 points)
Ride-1,116 points
Run-10:38.46 (1,168 points) Margaux Isaksen-29th Place-4,884 points
Shoot-182 (1,120 points)
Fence-9V and 26D (616 points)
Swim-2:19.96 (1,244 points)
Ride-878 points
Run-11:01.81 (1,076 points) Men's Final Sam Sacksen-Ninth Place-5,184 points
Shoot-187 (1,180 points)
Fence-10V and 25D (640 points)
Swim-2:07.84 (1,268 points)
Ride-1,096 points
Run-10:00.71 (1,000 points) Eli Bremer-Tenth Place-5,152 points
Shoot-172 (1,000 points)
Fence-16V and 19D (784 points)
Swim-2:05.56 (1,296 points)
Ride-1,056 points
Run-9:56.90 (1,016 points) Niul Manske-33rd Place-4,388 points
Shoot-184 (1,144 points)
Fence-17V and 18D (808 points)
Swim-2:13.25 (1,204 points)
Ride-456 points
Run-10:56.96 (776 points) Representing the United States of America in World Cup #3 in Millfield, England were: Women: Margaux Isaksen (Fayetteville, Ark./Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Michelle "Mickey"Kelly (Chatham, N.Y./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) Men: Dennis Bowsher (Dallas, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Eli Bremer (Monument, Colo./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force)
Niul Manske (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Sam Sacksen (Somerset, Pa./Colorado Springs, Colo.) Head Coach: Janusz Peciak (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Riding Coach: Michael Cintas (Rancho Mirage, Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Scott Christie (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Team Leader: Scott Novack (Colorado Springs, Colo.) The U.S. Team will now participate in an international training camp with the Polish National Modern Pentathlon Team in Warsaw, Poland from March 31 through April 8 before traveling to Madrid, Spain for World Cup #4 which will be held, April 9-13. Expected to representinthe United States of America in World Cup #4 in Madrid, Spain are: Women: Margaux Isaksen (Fayetteville, Ark./Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Michelle "Mickey"Kelly (Chatham, N.Y./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Emily Shertzer (Hershey, Pa./Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Sheila Taormina (Livonia, Mich.) Men: Dennis Bowsher (Dallas, Texas/Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Eli Bremer (Monument, Colo./Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force)
Niul Manske (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Sam Sacksen (Somerset, Pa./Colorado Springs, Colo.) Head Coach: Janusz Peciak (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Riding Coach: Michael Cintas (Rancho Mirage, Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Scott Christie (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) For the USA Pentathletes the primary goal from these World Cup events is earning valuable ranking points in hopes of qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The remaining two World Cup stops during the Olympic qualification period will be critical to determining the athletes that will make up the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team for Modern Pentathlon. The 2008 World Modern Pentathlon Championships, May 27-31 in Budapest, Hungary, will serve as a direct Olympic qualifier for the top three finishers who have not already qualified their spot for the Olympic Games. The final and most likely way for the U.S. to qualify for a final Olympic slot will be through the Modern Pentathlon World Rankings for the Olympic qualification period of June 1, 2007-June 1, 2008. This final means of qualification will go to the top seven ranked athletes that have not already qualified by some other means. Each country can only qualify a maximum of two men and two women. If the U.S. has more than two men or two women that meet the qualification criteria, USA Pentathlon will determine the two Olympic representatives based on the two highest ranked U.S. athletes in the World Cup standings. On the men's side, Bremer has already qualified his name for a spot for the 2008 Olympic Games based on his gold medal performance at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Bowsher, the top ranked U.S. man, is in line to qualify through the World Ranking system, but must keep himself in that position. On the women's side, Kelly has already qualified her name for a spot for the 2008 Olympic Games by virtue of her performance at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but will need to finish as one of the top two U.S. women in the World Cup standings to secure her spot on the U.S. Team. Taormina, the top ranked U.S. pentathlete, is attempting to make history by qualifying for her fourth U.S. Olympic Team in an unprecedented third sport. She has already competed in the Olympic Games in the sports of swimming and triathlon. She won a gold medal in swimming at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga., swimming the third leg of the 800m freestyle relay. She finished sixth and 23rd, respectively, in the triathlon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia and the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Taormina's top modern pentathlon World Cup performance came in March 2007 when she won the silver medal at World Cup #2 in Cairo, Egypt. Isaksen is putting the pressure on Kelly and Taormina thus far in 2008 and was ranked second in the 2008 World Cup standings going into World Cup #4. Isaksen and Kelly appear to be locked in neck and neck battle for the second women's modern pentathlon position in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. For more information, please contact Cecil Bleiker, United States Olympic Committee NGB Services Manager at 719-866-4608. This press release is also available on the USOC's media specific website at www.usocpressbox.org.